Drivers, just hold it

WHAT is the cost of a bit of creature comfort, especially when it comes to the bog?

Up to $8000, according to Main Roads Western Australia which is yet to re-open the facilities at the Apple St Road Train Assembly area west of Perth.

It has been more than three months since Big Rigs visited the site and snapped a shot of the shoddy toilet, which read "Facility closed until further notice".

Since then little has changed, with the actions of a few bad apples meaning all drivers miss out.

"Due to the high level of vandalism and anti-social behaviour occurring at this location combined with current operating costs, Main Roads has closed this facility until further notice," a spokesperson from the WA Main Roads Department told Big Rigs.

For Western Australian Road Transport Association Executive officer Cam Dumesny, the punish one punish all approach is simply not good enough but the problem is big.

"It is irritating," he said.

"What some of the problem of this is the cost of maintaining some of these facilities and how vast the state is.

"I think in the case of Apple St vandalism, and the bathrooms being close to local housing is the issue, they are in appalling state but they can't just be left as is."

Mr Dumesny said the issue of facilities, like in most states, goes much further than the metro areas.

"We are in the process of a review with the Main Roads and Road Safety Commission, to ensure these facilities are in the spots where they are needed," he said.

"The debate as always is even if there is capital funding for the development for facilities who maintains them?

"It is different here to the east. You belt up on the Hume Hwy and meet a road house every 50 kilometres.

"It is effectively run by the private sector. We just don't have the volume.